Pete Buttigieg shuts down Fox News anchor’s concern on traveling with partner

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg deftly shut down accusations lifted by Fox News anchor Bret Baier on Thursday about bringing his husband on an global presidential delegation, asking why it really should be “any different” from journeys taken by other govt officers with their spouses.

Showing as a guest on Baier’s clearly show, Buttigieg was questioned about his journey preparations and use of govt jets, like an incident from final April that has been criticized by conservative media stores in which Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten, accompanied him to the Invictus Games, “a multi-nationwide sporting function for wounded, hurt and unwell Servicemen and women” started in 2014 by Britain’s Prince Harry.

“You also introduced your partner, Chasten, on a army plane to show up at a sporting party in Netherlands,” Baier claimed in a online video clip of the exchange that is racking up millions of sights on Twitter.

When requested if that vacation was reimbursed, Buttigieg, a veteran and previous U.S. Navy intelligence officer, said, “Of training course not.”

“I led a presidential delegation to assist American wounded warriors and injured service users — the Invictus Video games — as has been custom for numerous a long time,” Buttigieg said. “I led the American delegation as a single of the excellent honors of my time in this work, and the diplomatic protocol on a presidential delegation is that the principal is frequently accompanied by their spouse.”

“But here’s what I want you to have an understanding of,” he continued. “Before me, it was the Secretary of the Military less than President Trump who took that excursion with his wife. Just before that, it was Mrs. Trump as 1st girl who went to the Invictus Game titles. Ahead of that, Mrs. Obama did the exact same thing. And I guess the problem on my brain is: If no one’s increasing questions about why Secretary [Mark] Esper and his wife led that delegation, as very well they must have, then why is it any diverse when it is me and my partner?”

Baier responded, “Understood,” right before quickly switching to the up coming problem.

Tale carries on

Buttigieg, who was the first openly gay gentleman to turn into a significant contender for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, has commonly encountered commentary in the conservative media relevant to his sexual orientation.

Throughout his presidential marketing campaign, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh mentioned the United States was “not completely ready to elect a gay guy kissing his spouse.” In November, Chasten Buttigieg defended his husband soon after Fox News host Tucker Carlson claimed the transportation secretary had “lied” about being homosexual. A column full of homophobic tropes was posted in the National Evaluation soon soon after the Buttigiegs grew to become dad and mom in 2021.